joshg1 wrote:Would every station have a list for each car saying "Board Here for..."? Even if they did people will fan out and look for the emptiest car at the rushes- I do. I suggest the muddle at the station pales in the riders mind to the ride on the train.

Sorry, I can't quite figure which way the "pales" cuts...pales good or pales bad?

My sense is that for any platform at a given station, you'd put, at most 3 signs (front, middle, back), and you'd carefully pick which 3...1) from the top 3 destinations from that platform (or top 4 if #4 is "touristy"), i.e. it has to be widely relevant2) for the destinations for which it matters (going to Porter Sq and Davis Sq, for example, it really doesn't matter) i.e. it has to make a difference3) For stations where it can be easily described

Even in the direction of Alewife, I'd appreciate a sign at Harvard Outbound which end is for "Cambridge & Mass Ave" "Bus Transfers, Outbound Bikeways & Garage"(and whichever end is best for Alewife Shopping, which I can never remember)

"Trying to solve congestion by making roadways wider is like trying to solve obesity by buying bigger pants."--Charles Marohn

Signs for the best place to stand for x destination would probably only help in situations like that one in Santiago, where the platform stairs at most stations are right in the middle, and huge numbers of people will all be a lot better off if they turn the right way when they leave the bottom step. Once you get a big list of stand here for destination x, here for destination y, etc., no one will be able to pay attention.

But in a few stations on the T they could help spread out passengers who aren't that familiar with the system and tend to crowd at the end of the platform nearest the stairs/ramps/turnstiles:Harvard and Charles inbound: "Changing to the Orange Line? Walk down the platform and board the rear of the train". (No need to tell people to take the front of the the train for GL northbound; people who don't know will naturally stay at the front of the train anyway.) DTC RL northbound: "Headed to Harvard Square? Walk down the platform and board the rear of the train. Headed to Kendall-MIT? Remember there are stairs at both ends of the station."

Harvard and DTC have platforms where the busiest entrances are at one end, and people bunch, so it would be useful to get people waiting on the platform to move down the platform, and useful to get people boarding at other stations to get off nearest the doors; these signs would do both at once.

Pales in comparison, as in, "How was your trip?" "The train was packed." and wouldn't mention the platforms unless prompted.

I agree that the limited signage Arlington mentions is a good idea not only for infrequent riders like me, but for the daily commuter who leads the unexamined life. I have a hard time thinking about station layouts- I look at the overhead directional signs and just go without remembering. I "discovered" where to board at SS and Harvard without thinking ahead, although in hindsight it is obvious. Ideally every transfer station (everywhere, not just the T) would have a mezzanine between lines to remove the crossed path muddle away from the platforms.

Speaking of signage, how 'bout some signs noting that escalators are moving staircases to climb, not slanted elevators?

joshg1 wrote:Speaking of signage, how 'bout some signs noting that escalators are moving staircases to climb, not slanted elevators?

One shouldn't actually climb escalators though - they are intended to be stood on, not climbed. Climbing them actually introduces unpredictable stresses on it which can easily throw it out of calibration, especially when running - that's why escalators are frequently out of service in subway stations.

I agree with Arborwayfan though, some reminders to stand right, climb left would be helpful, given that there are always going to be people in a hurry.